Ten man County grind out valuable point
Report from Mark Vickery
Venue: Rodney Parade
Newport County 0
Salford City 0
Attendance:
Form:
Newport County WDWDWLDLDL
Salford City LWLdDWWLLW
PRE-MATCH THOUGHTS
Both sides been inconsistent of late so question out on who can impose their game on difficult surface. Salford are missing some defenders through injury so key exploit that.
CONDITIONS
Mild, partly cloudy and quite keen breeze. Pitch sticky and heavy changing room end and erratic bounce in parts.
SUMMING UP OUR PERFORMANCE IN ONE STATEMENT
Lacked cutting edge and momentum but showed immense character after sending off
TURNING POINT
Sending off made game more open but Haynes injury unsettled balance
THE MATCH
County made a few changes with Robbie Willmott injured captain Josh Labadie returned to heart of the midfield. There was another change up top with Padraig Amond sacrificed to the bench in place of Ryan Taylor and County introduced new loan signing Jake Scrimshaw from Bournemouth in place of Jamie Devitt who was named as a sub. County started well with a move right side on 2 minutes which yielded a throw in right side of the area. Demetriou launched a trademark throw into the area which Salford cleared but it was lapped by Bennett edge of the area and directed a difficult half volley first time but Threlkeld got in an important interception. Salford were tentative in the early stages and elected to play long by passing the midfield and the County defence were turned back to clear. On 7 minutes, County were awarded a free kick when they opted for more direct pass into Taylor who was bowled over by Bernard left side of the area. Sheehan took the free kick which he whipped in low with venom but the Salford keeper Hladky showed safe hands. Salford were happy to stifle play pushing their full backs up high with Touray more evident left side with an eye to overlap inside the County half. On 10 minutes, Sheehan was on the end of late challenge by Lowe but the referee kept his cards in his pocket. County struggled to master the surface and were most cohesive left side with Haynes and Taylor combining well. However, their momentum was stalled on 17 minutes when Hunter clashed with Haynes in an aerial challenge and he was unable to resume after treatment. County adapted by introducing Ashley Baker who went right back with Liam Shepherd deputising at left back. Salford increased the intensity of their pressing game forcing County into several untidy passes and the game degenerated with neither side able to keep the ball on the pitch. Salford gained some confidence from squeezing up play especially left side with Touray winning some cheap tackles. On 25 minutes, a quickly taken throw left side caught County napping when Henderson found the late run forward from Touray and he poked a decent effort just over the bar from the left side of the area. County made efforts to play direct and when they did make the ball stick they coaxed some free kicks from some overzealous Salford challenges. However, the delivery from crosses lacked edge allowed Salford to cleat their lines. On 30 minutes, Salford had a corner left side which Hunter directed towards the back post and Clarke glanced a header from 8 yards wide of the right post. County remained reserved and slow on times to initiate moves allowing Salford to recover and avert danger. On 35 minutes, a better County move right side saw Shepherd to do well to exploit space left side and cut back a decent cross which Turnbull headed clear. Sheehan was quick to pounce on the ball and struck a decent effort from 20 yards which Bernard blocked. Salford continued to probe away left side with Touray showing his capability to provide crosses when invited. On 45 minutes, Touray cut back an excellent cross from a tight position in the left corner which hung deep and Elliot stretched his large frame to make header from 10 yards which looped over the bar. Salford pressed deep into first half injury time with Leeds Utd loanee Gotts busy left side and Touray swinging in some hopeful crosses left flank but the County defence held firm with Longe-King alert in making some important clearances front post.
Salford remained on top early stages of the second half with another Touray crosses on 48 minutes asking questions but again the County defence did well to limit the threat. County struggled to get a foothold of the game with several fouls interruptions to play. Sheehan had been on the end of couple of challenges and took some retribution on 58 minutes when he appeared to win the ball off Wilson but was adjudged to be dangerous by the 4th official. The referee seemed uncertain and then sent Sheehan off after several moments of consultation. County adjusted with Scimshaw dropping deeper into midfield and the wing backs tucking in. The game remained disappointing for the purists and the stop-start nature did little to help with Demetriou and Elliot both receiving treatment in separate incidents. Salford made a change on 65 minutes with Wilson coming on right side in place of Elliot. Salford had a half chance on 68 minutes when Henderson dragged an effort wide of the right post from the edge of the area with the County defence denying space well. County struggled to maintain possession from direct play and it was no surprise when Taylor and Scrimshaw were replaced by Abrahams and Ellison on 70 minutes. Salford created arguably their best chance of the game on 75 minutes when a bright move left side saw Touray find Henderson. He switched play well from left to right to pick out the run of Hunter right corner of the box but his first time effort went just over the bar. On 78 minutes, Bennett was booked for late challenge on Touray disrupting a move on the left channel. Salford made another change on 80 minutes with Asante replaced by Gotts with Salford switching to 4–3–3. On 82 minutes, Salford worked a good situation left side when Hunter threaded a low pass for Wilson left side of the area but he dragged a low effort into the side netting. County made a tactical change soon after with Ellison coming off for Amond who went up front and Dolan slotted into the midfield with County playing 4–4–1 and Abrahams playing left wing. This settled County and they had their best spell of the game in the remaining minutes with some well worked moves left side. On 85 minutes, County had a glimmer of chance after Abrahams did well to hold the ball in the left corner and despite being under pressure he prised out an opening from a decent cross to front post which Amond met but his header lacked power to trouble Hladky. County had a couple of decent situations late on forcing Salford to defend deeper and they looked uncomfortable defending inside their own area. Then on 87 minutes, Amond cut back an excellent cross near the left corner flag which Abrahams anticipated but he elected to head rather than shoot first time and his effort from 8 yards drifted harmlessly wide of the right post. Salford remained a threat in transition with Asante offering more pace final third. On 90 minutes, he set up an opportunity for Hunter from the edge of the area but the snapshot was well blocked by Longe-King. Despite their handicap of being a man down, County asked questions deep into injury time. On 90+5 minutes, they were close to pinching the game when a long throw right side by Demetriou again caused by problems for Salford and Bennett did well to seize the loose ball but his volley on the turn from 16 yards went narrowly over the bar. In the final minutes, County had an appeal for penalty turned down when Demetriou stood up tall inside the area to hold the ball under pressure and he appeared to be shoved by Bernard but the referee ignored the protests.
King (6) — was protected well by the defence and had no saves to make from open play. Good handling on crosses but was little laboured on distribution and wayward on times.
Shepherd (7) — did a good job swapping to left back, denied opportunities in behind clearing effectively and with length. Got forward a little bit more late on to build moves further up pitch.
Haynes (6) — was prominent in the best moves early before his unfortunate knock and linked well with accurate passing before being replaced by:
Baker (7) — was solid breaking up play and passed well when he got the ball from under his feet. despite being put under pressure by Touray grew into the game and finished strongly.
Demetriou (8) — organised defence well after Haynes went off, was unshaken despite suffering a few knocks. Lapped up headers and did well to probe to find gaps with some measured passes.
Longe-King (8) — competed well, was solid in the air and got into some well timed tackles. Strong fending off challenges and made some important interceptions in and around the box.
Dolan (7) — saw less of the ball at feet and elected to play long on times and best passes were sprayed wide. Remained composure under pressure which was key after sending off.
Bennett (7) — did a job to break up stifle in front of the defence and influence late on in the game was key. Deserved goal and had arguably the best two chances in and around the box
Labadie (6) — quite a reserved game by his standards and unable to assert usual influence and got bit bogged down in the congested midfield. Didn’t pick enough of the knock downs
Sheehan (6) — was well tracked first hand forced to play too sideways and not able to effect threat around the edge of the area. No malice in the tackle that forced the unfortunate sending off
Taylor (5) — struggled to hold ball under pressure and made to luck poor getting turned to play back to goals. thrives better from early crosses and more efficient moves getting too easily read.
Scrimshaw (5) — did a lot of running off the ball work to unsettle Salford defence but never really got the service to utilise his strengths with pace and not on same wavelength with Taylor
SWOT ANALYSIS OPPONENTS
Strengths — they were quick to suffocate space and stifle play. Centre backs strong in the air and were organised dealing with crosses.
Weaknesses — showed little care with passing lazily launching ball long and often overplayed. Lacked cutting edge and energy late on to hurt County despite benefit of extra man
Opportunities — the defence looked shaky on times defending deep with overbalance of left sided defenders so they elected to force play up higher which worked to a certain extent.
Threats — Wilson and Hunter eye for shots from distance. Henderson was key to link play and Gotts dynamic left side.
OFFICIALS
A Backhouse (6) — kept his cards in his notebook despite some untidy late tackles on show and Sheehan sending off went a bit against the grain with the leniency
MAN OF THE MATCH
David Longe-King — Salford persisted with left side but he kept batting off everything thrown at him winning some solid tackles and headers. Was vigilant and made some key interceptions
IF YOU WERE MICHAEL FLYNN WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
County were unable to relax for large parts of this game and the brief spells of momentum they had was soon knocked out of them by Salford who were set up to stifle, press up high and deny space down the flanks. This worked for them, in the main, but after the Sheehan sending off, when the onus was on Salford to push on, County came more into the game and showed tremendous spirit to dig out a point and may well have pinched the points late on. The Rodney Parade pitch is not going to improve dramatically this season and County are going to need to find another method to build momentum to pressurise sides and this will inevitability mean a more direct game and keeping better care of the ball final third. The Taylor — Scrimshaw partnership didn’t work well on the surface and really didn’t utilise their strengths with Taylor brushed off challenges too easily and Scrimshaw starved of any quality ball in behind. County need another option in the mould of Lenell John-Lewis type player who can lock the ball down final third and deal with pressing defenders. They will need to adjust without Sheehan potentially in the next few games and will need add some verve and energy between the boxes to fill that gap as the midfield was too passive today. Next up is Cheltenham Town on Tuesday under the lights of Whaddon Road who have been struggling for consistency of late. Cheltenham are likely to mirror County playing 3–5–2 formation with former County player Ben Tozer adopting a similar central defensive cog to Matt Dolan. Cheltenham will be missing influential left back Hussey and a lot of emphasis will be on set pieces, crosses and long throws by Tozer. County need to deal with the aerial chaos and on a slicker faster pitch they can benefit and use their pace to hurt in transition.
